MOUNT EVEREST.
I can see you are trembling; why are you? The journey has not even begun yet. Is it because of the cold? But we are still at the foot of the mountain; you have not seen anything yet. Or maybe it is because you are afraid; afraid of what they are going to think and say when they see you attempt these great heights? Of course; they will mock you. As we speak, they are bargaining for a coffin, they say you are a walking corpse. But dodge those arrows; do not let them get in your head, laugh it off and stay focused. Deep down, you know that this is not about you; this is bigger than you. This is about the changes which are to be engraved on history.
On the outside you appear weak but you can feel that fire burn deep inside your soul and nothing can extinguish its flames. I can see you are still trembling, why are you? Is this dream too big for you; too big to become a reality? I understand. On that day; the day the veil was drawn and you began to see the visions, I remember you laughed at yourself thinking, “This must be a nightmare; how can I ever achieve this?” You even went on your knees and asked God if he had gone mad for giving you such a big dream. “Am I worthy? This must be a mistake!” In the nights, you hardly sleep as such thoughts keep tormenting you. But the dream has stood the test of time; not a day has gone by without it crossing your mind. Deep down, you now know; without a doubt, that this is what He created you for. The nightmare has turned into a burden your heart is willing to bear. In the nights, you no longer toss and turn, you have mastered enough faith and courage to face this Goliath.
“No, tomorrow! No, on Monday! Next week for sure! No, next month! Ah, I will be turning twenty five next year; perfect time!” Huh, perfect time! I wonder; what is the perfect time for you to die?
Do I need to remind you that time is of the essence? Okay, I will, but first of all, let us rewind back to last Sunday, when I heard the preacher say: the Devil is busier than ever before, striving to trap the souls of men because, he knows that the Man he thought he had destroyed, is coming back soon; to hammer the last nail into his coffin. So, what makes you think you have the time? Gone, are the days when time would calmly lie in our arms as we casually caressed her; nowadays, she has developed an attitude; she waits for no man!
Assemble your plan, tools and resources; the journey begins now. And I hope you were not anticipating a stroll; this battle will demand your blood, sweat, tears…your everything! Umm, let us see: mistakes, failures, regrets…lay down that sack you are carrying on your back; it is weighing you down. And why are your feet and hands bound in chains; making you appear as a slave? You will not make any progress that way; you need to first free yourself. Look back at where you come from; look at yourself now, and envision where you are going! What life do you want? It is now or never; decide! You can still feel that fire raging deep within, right? Harness its flames and focus until those chains come melting to the ground.
Mmm, freedom feels so good; doesn’t it? I can see the zeal in your eyes; I can hear your confidence echoing with every heartbeat, but wait! Before you take the next steps, get on your knees. No man is going to fight this battle for you; we each have our own mountains to move. But if you go solo, your little strength is not enough to carry you through; you need a hand to guide and sustain you.
I do not know in whom or in what you put your trust in: it may be in fellow men, stone, metal, glass, plastic, wood, devils…whoever or whatever it is; pray, ask for strength and guidance. But I confidently advise that you put your trust in the one who is living; the one who conquered death itself; none other than Jesus Christ. Without him, you can do nothing; but by his strength; mountains move!
It is now time to take the next steps; there is no turning back now. Hold your head high and keep your eyes fixed upon the crown. Do not look back or else; you will turn into a pillar of salt. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid of the sheer steepness of the mountain; His mighty hand will not let you fall.
Keep going; why have you stopped? I can see you are frantically peering left and right; what are you looking for? Or maybe you are thinking yourself lost since there is no visible path before you. Well, what were you expecting; a highway? Brace yourself for a bumpy ride.
I can see the determination in every step; the snow is trying to hold you down but your will is too strong for it; step after step after step after… But hey, slow down! Do not get overexcited, stay focused, control your breathing and maintain a steady pace; do not go too fast or else you will wear out. Remember, Rome was not built in a day; but no matter how slow the going gets, do not stop; keep moving, as each step gets you closer to your crown.
I hope you got to fully soak up the sun yesterday because today, the weather is quite unforgiving. You can see the thick and gloomy clouds approaching, the one hundred miles per hour winds are bombarding you from every direction; trying to knock you off the mountain, the blizzard is trying to bury you alive and the dropping temperatures are striving to turn you into a block of ice; freezing you in your tracks. Stop looking around; there is no place to run, instead; keep your feet steady, tighten your grip and keep going.
From now on, heighten your senses, because; you have awakened the giant. It knows what you are after and it has turned against you because, it knows how much glory and power its crown holds. You will have to prove yourself worthy. From above, watch out for the avalanches and falling rocks, with each step; watch out for the crevasses or else, you will be swallowed whole.
“I cannot take it anymore, I think I am in the wrong place!” No, you are not! This is not a mistake, He gave you this mountain for a reason; He knew you are brave enough to face it. Remember; the harder the climb, the greater the glory! Stop focusing on the outside storm; the real fight is within you. But if it gets too cold for you to bear, remember His promise, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” let it keep you warm.
Why have you stopped again? Oh, I guess you have not seen a corpse before. You are probably wondering why it happened, well, who knows? Maybe they gave up; maybe they were on the wrong mountain; maybe they relied on their own strength, only God knows! But do not be discouraged, pay homage and proceed boldly. You can hear doubt knocking on your door, do not let it in; keep believing; you can do this.
And when you come face to face with the final hurdle in this race; the death zone, I want you to remember that the race is usually hardest when the finish line is in sight, and, trust me, that is not a cute nickname; the place has earned the name. Every breath you take will feel like a five hundred pound bench press and each step will be a test of your endurance; you will be broken to pieces! But will you give up? Death will be hovering by your side, hoping you will give up so he can devour your soul, but, fear not; doubt not.
When it becomes too strenuous to carry on and you get down on your knee, casting all hope down at the snow; ready to give up, I want you to remember; remember why you started, be proud of how far you have come and look up; how close you are. Remember your family; they depend on and believe in you; you cannot fail them. Remember your haters; those who think you are worthless; you have to prove them wrong. Remember all those who rejected you; they must come back on their knees. Think of all the sacrifices you have made to get to where you are; all the blood you have lost; all the pain you have endured and ask yourself: was it all for nothing?
With that flame of determination rekindled within you, get back on your feet and run; run towards your crown and grab it. Congratulations, you did it; you moved the mountain! It is now time to make merry and lay your feet on the couch and…oops, I am just kidding! The journey is far from over, this is just the beginning; the beginning of a new chapter. Do not let the glory blind you or else; the one hundred miles per hour winds will send you plummeting to the ground.
Such a beautiful scenery, isn’t it? But do not marvel at it for eternity; look down; where you come from, can you see all those people waving at you; trying to grab your attention? Unfold your arms; stretch out a hand and lift somebody up; remember, you did not achieve this by your own strength. And whenever you hear pride knocking on your door, remember that king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon once ate grass for seven years.
But, it is so sad; it is so sad that many men never get to view the world from atop their mountains, because, it is only a handful who are brave enough to take the first step!
By, Musa Jumba.